The Virologist and the Surgeon
by Jeanne St. Croix
Summary: A young woman joins Presidio Med and has to struggle for her co-workers’ acceptance, especially Nick’s. In the process of earning his respect, what feelings will be born?
1. First day, first impressions

A/N: I love Presidio Med, but I hate how that Rae makes my poor sweet Nick suffer, so I decided to create my own character to make him happy and bash Dr. Brennan. Thing is, I am studying to become a virologist, so expect to find some nice diseases. You can also expect to see a pretty rough side of Nick, but don't worry… he'll soften. Cross my heart and hope to die.

Oh, btw, in this story, Rae never got the divorce, nor did Nick build that lovely tent for her. Thing is, I had pretty much developed this story before those episodes and well, would you please overlook that? For plot's sake?

Now, yes, here's the story.

**Chapter 1: First day, first impressions.**

Shari Hayes looked at her reflection on the toilet's mirror and a wide grin quickly spread across her face. Her lab coat looked great on her, she had always thought so, from the very first day she had worn it for College. It did conceal a bit her curves, but they were still there, ready to catch men's attention.

Looking closer, she had to admit there was nothing remarkable in her appearance, yet she was more than satisfied with it. Her hazel eyes were slightly oval and fringed with long, thick eyelashes, but it was their brightness what made them really attractive. They contrasted with the fairness of her complexion, only disrupted by her cheeks, which had a reddish hue. Her lips were full and she was proud of them, as well as of her hands, so delicate and feminine. 

The only thing she regretted was having to wear her wavy, mahogany hair tied. ' Well, duh! Of course you have to,' she chided herself. ' You're working at a hospital.' Shari admitted she was being vain, but it was her first day in a new job, at a new city and she needed all the confidence she could gather.

This new employment was a great opportunity for her and the money was good, since she would have to jobs in one. She had her office at San Francisco University Hospital and she would work at its high complexity lab, but she would also have to collaborate with Presidio Medical Group, a private healthcare organization.

She had noticed they were a pretty tight-knit community the two times she had been there for interviews and she had felt a bit of an outsider; that was why she liked the hospital better. Everyone had welcomed her warmly, her lab companions seemed really nice people to work with and she loved her office and its great view of the city. She knew that, at some point, she would have to cross over to Presidio Med, but she preferred to postpone that moment.

With a sigh, she applied a bit more lipstick and left the Hospital's personnel toilet. Outside, David Eidenberg, Presidio Medical Group's Staff Chief was waiting for her. He was a pretty nice guy and had always treated her cordially, like an equal, even though he was her most immediate boss.

" Shari, I couldn't find you anywhere!" He said as a greeting.

" Oh, well, I'm still adjusting to my new surroundings," was her soft reply.

" Have you been to Presidio already?"

" No," she answered. 

" Then come with me, I'll show you around and introduce you to your co-workers," he offered, good-naturedly.

" OK..." David didn't notice her reluctance and led her outside the hospital. They crossed the street and where about to enter the Usher Medical Tower, when he stopped in front of two men.

" Matt, Nicholas," he greeted, " so good to find you here. I would like you to meet Shari Hayes, the most recent addition to our team. Shari, these are Dr. Matt Slingerland, internist and Dr. Nicholas Kokoris, surgeon, and the newest here until you arrived."

Shari hadn't expected starting to meet her colleagues so soon, 'but what the hell?' She told herself as she smiled at the two men.

" Hi, nice to meet you." She held out her hand and Matt was the first to take it; his grip was warm and his shake, firm. He wore a smile on his face and she could tell it was genuine.

" Welcome to Presidio Med," he said.

' Hell, some British accent,' she thought. The man looked quite good; tall, dark hair, lovely eyes… probably a modern Casanova. " Thank you," she replied, smiling a bit more.

Then it was Nicholas' turn and, for some reason, he didn't make her feel very comfortable. Maybe it was because he was watching her in a way that was very similar to how she studied viruses under the microscope.

He shook her hand briefly. " My pleasure."

Matt saved the impulsive woman from asking him what his problem was. " Are you from San Francisco, Miss Hayes?"

" Please, call me Shari. And no, I come from Boston."

" And how's this city treating you so far?"

" Well, I can't complain, it has been nice having a change of scenery," she said wholeheartedly.

" Are you here for the lab opening?" Was Nicholas' dry question.

" No," intervened David. " San Francisco General has hired her as Head of their Epidemics Department and she will work in collaboration with us, in case we have to deal with any sort of virus."

" Unlikely, I must say," remarked Matt.

" I don't only handle exotic viruses, Dr. Slingerland. You can count on me for the simplest influenza case. Anything that involves a little bug."

Matt smiled at her answer and David checked his watch. " Now, if you'll excuse us, we need to continue our tour..."

" Sure, we don't want to monopolize her," joked Matt. " Welcome again," he added.

" Thank you, really," she told him.

" Gentlemen." Nodding, David took Shari away from the two doctors and towards the building. But before they entered, Matt stopped them.  

" Where's your office?" He asked.

" 5th floor, in the Epidemics area. But I will the 6th floor lab most of the days."

" I'll see you then," he said with a broad smile.

" It's been a pleasure, Dr. Slingerland." She then remembered her manners and turned to where Nick was standing. " Dr. Kokoris, have a nice day."

The Greek man answered with a " You too." and David guided her inside the building.

" Pretty, huh?" Asked Matt once they were outside hearing range.

Nicholas shrugged. " Definitely not my type."

" What, you don't go for beautiful, young women?"

" No."

Now Matt was utterly bewildered. What could have gotten into his friend? He was usually nice, with great taste when it came to women, liked to meet new people... something definitely wasn't right. " Even so, you could have been a bit nicer to her."

" Why should I? I have worked all my like to get where I am and this brat, who isn't even thirty years old is Head of a department," he snapped.

' So this is what this is all about?' " C'mon, Nick, cut the girl some slack! She is alone in a new city. Doesn't it sound familiar to you?"

As the two doctors engaged in a friendly argument on each other's stubbornness, Shari was making new acquaintances at Presidio Med. She first met some of the nurses and lab technicians. Then, she was introduced to the female staff. Drs. Letty Jordan, Rae Brennan, Jackie Collete, Jules Keating and Harriet Lanning. They all were cordial and gave her a nice welcome, but Shari knew they were curious about her. And when David mentioned she was Head the Epidemics Department, she caught a few surprised expressions. That didn't bother her, she had been expecting that. It wasn't usual seeing such a young woman in such a high position, but she was confident that, in time, she would prove to be fit for the job.

***

Please review!!!!!!


	2. A good friend, nothing more

AN: I'd like to thank those of you who had taken the time to read my story and let me know what you thought of it. Feedback is always immensely appreciated.

So here's a new chappie which I hope you'll enjoy. I promise the next one will bring more Nick and more action.

**Chapter 2: A new friend, nothing more.**

Before she knew, the first morning at her new job had flown by and now it was time for Shari's lunch break. The idea of eating alone didn't sound very appealing, so she decided to buy a salad and eat it in the privacy of her office. As she was leaving the laboratory, Matt joined her.

" Good morning again, Miss Hayes. Had a pleasant first day?" He asked, with a kind smile.

" Yes, it was pretty calm, actually. Only a couple of influenza diagnosis," said Shari, as he helped her put her leather jacket on in the most gentlemanly way.

She thanked him and started walking towards the elevator when Matt spoke again. " Are you free for lunch now?"

" Yes," she replied.

" Me too. Want to grab a bite?" Shari stopped walking and faced him.

" Look, Dr. Slingerland, I really appreciate what you are trying to do, but..." she started.

" Hey, I'm not trying to do anything, I just want to have lunch with you. And my name is Matt," he remarked cordially.

Shari stared at him for a second; truth was, she could really use some company and the internist seemed nice...

" OK," she relented. 

" Peachy," was his reply, placing a hand in the small of her back to lead her towards the elevator.

They made small talk until they reached the cafeteria. There, Shari picked a simple lettuce and tomato salad, while Matt helped himself with a hot-dog, some French fries and a cup of coffee. Noticing her amused look as they both sat down by a large window, he chuckled.

" Very well, this is obviously not the healthiest of lunches but... it's better than that tasteless salad you got there."

Shari laughed. " We women cannot eat as much as you men do. We are supposed to diet," she admonished jokingly.

" Believe me, you don't need to." 

Her eyebrows shot up and was about to reply when he blurted out, " How old are you?"

" You couldn't wait to ask me that, right?" She asked, trying to sound exasperated, but failing miserably.

" I happen to be very nosy."

" I'm 25," she responded, as to satisfy his curiosity without knowing the interrogatory had only started.

" And you're already head of a department? You must have very impressive credentials," he said, looking awed.

She shrugged. " I just majored in Biology at Harvard and then did two specializations. It's not that big of a deal."

" In which field of work did you specialize?" Was his following question.

" A Masters Degree in Epidemiology and a PhD in Virology. At Harvard and Yale," she informed.

" If my numbers are correct you must have done each in a year." Shari nodded. " Intelligent. I like that," he said and winked at her.

They both laughed, attracting the attention of some Doctors sitting near them.

" Enough of me. Tell me more about you," demanded Shari with a grin.

" I'm nowhere near being as interesting as you are."

" I'll judge that. So, now it's my turn. What's your age?"

" 36," he replied.

" Have you been living in America for too long?"

" Not really, I left England only two years ago."

She frowned. " And don't you miss your family?"

" We are not exactly close. Apparently, they cannot deal with my 'rebellious nature', as they so gently put it."

Shari realized he was trying to put up a brave front, since there was a trace of pain in his eyes he tried to hide by looking away. She nodded and patted his hand softly, causing him to look back at her; they stared into each other's eyes until she broke the silence and continued to assault him with questions. Talking, they lost track of time until his beeper went off.

" Well, looks like the lovely ladies from the NICU need me," he said after reading the number on the display.

" I probably should get going back to the lab... don't want to screw up in the first day."

" I really had a marvelous time, Shari. Hope we can do this again."

She could tell he was sincere.

" I'd love to," was her simple reply.

And so it had started. In only two months time, Matt and her had become real close and she was enjoying that friendship quite a lot, for he was funny, outgoing and a great person. They went out for lunch almost everyday, which pleased Shari, since she didn't have to face the idea of having lunch all by herself day after day. And he made up for her self-imposed lack of social life; right then, she only wanted to focus on her job. Still, having a friend was comforting; no matter if people thought they were more than that.

As for Matt, he couldn't believe his luck in finding a woman like Shari, so caring, open and whose company he enjoyed so much. At first it had hurt his ego realizing she was only interested in his friendship, but in time he had come to appreciate the bond they had formed and the closeness they had. Something he had never experienced before with a woman. 

He didn't understand Nick's prejudices and dislike against her. He had tried to get him to know her to no avail.

" Bloody hell, Nick, it's your loss," he had ended up telling him.

***

Please, r/r!!!!!!!!!


	3. On viruses and pride

**Chapter 3: On viruses and pride.**

Shari was in seventh heaven, and the man sitting in front of her was to thank for that. He was Dr. Lawrence Byron, an eminence when it came to designing epidemy-containing strategies. She was very familiar with his work, since she had devoured every article he had published and when she heard he was working at San Francisco General, Shari knew she wouldn't be able to rest until she had talked to him.

It had taken her a great deal of courage to knock on his door and introduce herself, but the man had been delighted by her interest and invited her to have breakfast with him and talk about their field of expertise. So, there she was, discussing with him the different ways in which an inappropriate health-care facility could accelerate the dissemination of a disease. 

Realizing it was almost 2 PM, she thanked Dr. Byron for his time. He asked her to return soon and, after promising she would, Shari decided to grab a quick bite at the hospital's cafeteria. She would then go back to the lab and start running some tests on cells infected with West Nile disease. Shari was supposed to have them ready by the end of day and knew she would have to work fast. Still, she didn't regret the time she had spent with the distinguished researcher.

Tucking her hands on her pockets, she got on the elevator and hit the 12th floor button. With a smile she thought she looked like one more of the doctors in there. A couple of them tried to make eye contact with her, but she wasn't exactly in the mood for that, so she just ignored them.

When she got to the 12th floor, she went inside the canteen, took a tray and picked a small salad. Once she had paid for it, someone tapped on her shoulder and Shari found a smiling Matt standing in front of her.

" Shari, hey!"

" Hi Matt, good morning!" She said, before giving him a quick peck on the cheek.

" Have a bit of time for lunch?"

" Yup," answered Shari, not knowing that in less than ten seconds she would be regretting her answer.

" Then come sit with us," he offered, gesturing to a table where Dr. Kokoris was sitting.

He was staring at them, a measuring look in his eyes. Shari felt like refusing, but that would have only given him the pleasure of knowing he intimidated her, so she grabbed the tray and joined the two men.

" Good morning, Dr. Kokoris," she said, forcing a smile the best she could.

" Good morning," he answered curtly, before turning back to his hamburger.

Matt tried to break the ice. " I didn't find you at the lab nor in your office and thought you hadn't come to work today."

" Oh, I was at Dr. Lawrence Byron's office. He told me a lot of things about his research in African hospitals and their lack of epidemic strategies," explained the woman, a grin quickly setting on her face.      

Matt's brows furrowed. " You found that interesting?"

" A lot! I've read all his papers and I admire him a great deal."

" The man's a walking fossil!" He joked.

" Well, he was very nice to me. He said he was glad to know that there were still young people interested in his work. I'm not that young… but it doesn't matter."

" You are. After all, you are only 25," intervened Nicholas.

" I'll turn 26 in August," she said, shrugging.

" And you got degrees from Harvard and Yale," he stated.

He had said it in a way that made Shari wonder if he thought it was a wonderful thing or the epitome of horror. She decided to remain silent instead of sending him to... well, where here deserved to be sent.

" What made you move here, to SF?" He asked.

" Well, I had a teacher back in Yale who I helped a couple of times contributing with some articles to his science magazine. Because of it, he knows many people from different hospitals and he told me about this opening. So I decided to send my CV. After all, I had nothing to lose," replied the woman with a smile. Just because he was being rude didn't mean she had to be impolite as well.

" And you like your new job?"

" Yeah! I never had a real job before and, so far, I'm really enjoying it. I just wish I could do some fieldwork, you know. Go where the real outbreaks occur." 

Matt laughed. " Dynamite, pure dynamite," he said with a chuckle.

The smile his comment had brought to her face was quickly replaced by a killer stare at Nicholas' question.

" You think you are ready for the world outside?"

" What do you mean?" She asked, eyeing him suspiciously.

" Do you think you can face the destruction and misery that an epidemy brings along and remain immovable?"          

" No, I wouldn't like remaining immovable," replied Shari, with an air of superiority.

" I am trying to warn you. I have been to Gabon during an Ebola outbreak and I've seen things you would not be able to stand."

That was it. " Oh, really? Lookit, I might be young, I may appear fragile, but I'm qualified. And I AM ready! Now, if you excuse me... Matt, I'll see you later."

Shari got up gracefully, threw the remnants of her salad in the nearest bin and stormed out of the cafeteria. The two doctors watched her leave, one of them entirely puzzled, the other one with crescent irritation. 

Now, Nicholas knew he was a nice man, that's why he couldn't understand his reasons for feeling so hard against Shari. He wasn't judgmental and always believed in giving people a chance. 

" Then why is it I keep trying to find flaws in her?' He asked himself.

Then answer seemed to elude him. Or was it him who was eluding the truth?


	4. The first patient

AN: hey all! I couldn't be happier about the positive feedback I'm getting from you. I'd like to thank you a lot for that and keep it coming! After all, reviews is the only kind of food my muses really enjoy. Chapter 4: The first patient. 

A week after the incident with Nicholas at the cafeteria, Matt and Shari entered Presidio Med's waiting area. They had shared a nice breakfast together and now it was time for the two of them to get down to some serious work. As he accompanied her to the laboratory, they ran into Drs. Jules Keating and Jackie Collete.

The two women greeted them and continued to walk, but a few barely concealed laughs made Shari's brows arch.

" You know? Half of them think we're sleeping together," was Matt's casual comment.

Inwardly, he thought that the two full-grown women should have showed a bit more maturity.

" Yeah, the half that doesn't think I'm sleeping with David," she replied and had the reward of watching his eyes reach the size of plates.

" You know about that?" He asked.

" Now I do." Matt puzzled look made Shari burst into laughter. " It's OK, really. I understand their reaction. I just hope that one day I will be able to prove I'm here because I really deserve it."

" You already are. Don't you think I don't know how much time you spend in the lab?"

" Yeah, but what's your friend Nicholas' problem? I mean, what did I do to deserve all that 'you're not ready' crap?" Was her question. They had never discussed what had happened that day at the cafeteria. 

" I have absolutely no idea. But he's under a lot of stress, you know. Yesterday, he lost a little girl on the table," explained Matt. He wasn't trying to justify Nick's actions, he didn't think the man deserved it, but he didn't want Shari to believe Nicholas was such a hardass either.

" God..."

" He's angry for the loss and, I hate to admit it, his injured pride. He's been wonderboy at the OR and that's made him a bit big-headed; but he's not a bad man."

" Oh, really?" She asked mockingly.

" He's as stubborn as hell, I'll give you that. But just let him get used to the idea of being surpassed by a woman your age and then you'll see he's quite a nice person," was Matt's prediction.

Shari didn't fully believe it, but she smiled and nodded, not wanting to contradict her friend. 

The morning went by slowly and a bit monotonously for Shari, who preferred working at the hospital. She only had to Gram dye a couple of microscopic spreads and then examine them; she had taken her time at doing that, since she enjoyed studying bacteria in all its profundity. But by noon she was happily leaving Usher Medical Tower. Suddenly, a voice from behind her stopped her in her tracks.

" Miss Hayes, may I have a consult with you?"

She turned and faced Dr. Kokoris, a questioning look on her face. " Sure, what is it?"

" We've received this patient in the morning and, quite frankly, we are disconcerted," he said swiftly and without looking straightly at her.

Shari was surprised by the sight of a confused Nicholas Kokoris, the oh so almighty one. " Why?" She simply asked.

" He has shown contradictory symptoms that don't match his history and no treatment seems to alleviate him."

She nodded. She was trying to remain as aloof as possible, but curiosity took the best of her." Why are you in this? I thought you were a surgeon." 

" I am, but Dr. Slingerland consulted me," he replied.

" I see. I've encountered several cases as puzzling as this one," she commented.

Nick realized she had no intention of easing things for him, so he decided to swallow his pride for once. " And since we have both failed, it occurred to me that maybe you could clue us in."

Shari smiled, knowing it had been hard for him to ask for her help. Now it was time to show she didn't have any hard feelings towards him. " Can I see the patient?"

The surgeon visibly relaxed. " I was hoping you would, but I would hate to disrupt..."

" Don't worry, you aren't interrupting anything. I'd really like to collaborate in this, so, let's go."

Nicholas nodded and she followed him back to Presidio Med's offices. Not wanting to waste any time, once they were in the elevator she asked him for the specificities.

" The patient's name is Donald Robertson. Fifty-five years old, no cardiologic history. Symptoms include fever and anorexia. Tests revealed lymphadenopathy and myocarditis, but they don't correspond to his history… he was fine a month ago, when he had his last check-up," he explained.

Shari wasn't surprised; as a virologist, she knew that check-ups were only reliable when it came to 'ordinary' diseases. But a single bacterium could change a patient's entire history in less than a week. Then came the rutinary, " Temperature?"

" 38,5 C. He is not responding to antibiotics."

" Well, then it's not bacterial... or we're dealing with a more specific one that's not attacked by conventional antibiotics," she concluded.

Nicholas stared at her fixedly for a few seconds. " Very well... his room is this way," he said, leading her to a quiet hallway, and then to a door with the number 205 on its door. He knocked on it and a weak voice authorized them to enter.

There were two nurses in the room, which was nice and clean. There were several flower arrangements around the bed, from which a man of graying hair and pale blue eyes looked at them with barely-veiled apprehension. Shari wasted no time and approached him with a smile.

" Good morning Mr. Robertson, I'm Shari Hayes. Do you mind if I ask you some questions?"

The man smiled, relaxing a bit. " You are not a doctor?" Was his question.

" No, I'm a virologist," replied Shari with extreme softness, knowing that her title could probably alarm him.

His reaction was the one she expected. " You think I could be infected by a virus?" He asked, paling.

" That's what I'm here to find out," she stated. Shari took a pair of latex gloves she always kept in her pocket and put them on. " When have you started feeling ill?"

" About a week ago or so… " 

Smiling soothingly, she went closer to the man, leaned and started running two of her soft fingers across his face. The two nurses looked at her with great interest, while Mr. Robertson seemed surprised; but what really amused her was feeling Nicholas' eyes burning her back. Noticing a small lump near the patient's left eye, she turned to him.

" Dr. Kokoris, have you noticed this?" She asked.

" What is it?" He asked, leaning over to have a closer look.

" A local lesion: palpebral edema can appear at the site of inoculation," she whispered.

" Inoculation?" Nicholas sounded utterly perplexed.

Shari ignored him and turned to the patient, knowing exactly what to ask. " Mr. Robertson, have you traveled anywhere recently?"

" Yes, I've been to Argentina three weeks ago. I have some lands in the North and I went to visit them," he elaborated.

' Then the incubation period was of two weeks. And he was in South America? I'm on the right track,' she thought. " Nice… and what did you do there?"

" Oh, nothing really, just the usual country activities. What I did enjoy was the trip to the northern border; we hiked during the day and at night we stayed in this rustic huts made of mud… it was quite and adventure." His voice was becoming softer.

Euphoric, Shari realized she had hit the nail in the head. But her joy lasted too little, as the diagnosis she would have to give started weighing on her. She noticed her patient had dozed off and Nicholas leaned over to check his vitals. It was her time to act. 

" No, don't touch him without globes," she commanded.

" Why?"

" I can't explain now. I want everyone out of the room. And someone please call Dr. Eidenberg." As no one moved, she had no choice but to sharpen her tone. " I said out. NOW." The two nurses left promptly, but Nicholas was still by the patient's side.

" I have to check… " He insisted.

" He's sleeping," she interrupted him.

Nicholas looked at her suspiciously. " How do you know?"

At that point, Shari would have enjoyed slapping him senseless, but managed to control her temper. " They pay me to know this stuff. Now leave me alone with the patient."

" What will you do?"

" I'll get a blood sample and run an ELISA test on him," was Shari's reply, after an exasperated sigh.

Nick was surprised. In all his years of studying, training and practicing, he would have never thought of running an ELISA on a man with myocarditis. 

" What for?" He persisted.

OK, that did it. " Dr. Kokoris, step outside please. I'll explain later."

With that, she gently pushed him outside and closed the door right on his face.

***

When she left the room with the small vial of blood in her hand, she faced three men who were waiting for her. Of course, one of them was Dr. Kokoris, and then there were Matt and David Eidenberg. Apparently, the nurses had done what she had told them to.

" David," she greeted him. 

He smiled affably at her, but couldn't hide the apprehension in his voice. " Shari, what is your diagnosis?"

" I can't say yet; not until I get the results of the ELISA test and the microscopic examination," she stated.

" Why ELISA?"

' This Nicholas fellow doesn't quit, now does he?' She thought as she hurried to explain. " An ELISA test is similar to that used for AIDS and has been designed to detect the presence of T. cruzi antibodies. Oh, how silly of me… Trypanosoma cruzi are the parasites responsible for Chagas' disease."

The three men looked truly taken aback and could only stare at her for a while. Matt was the first one to come out of the initial state of shock. 

" Chagas' disease? Good Lord! When will you be able to tell for sure?" He asked, sounding truly bewildered.

Shari smiled affably. " In about six hours. I'll run the tests myself at the lab. But, David, I believe we should start the treatment on Mr. Robertson and the physicians who took care of him," she suggested her boss.

" Shouldn't we wait for the results?" Asked Nicholas. The Greek surgeon was definitely testing her patience.

" Acute Chagas disease must be treated early. The decision for initiating therapy must not be swayed by negative findings or delayed while waiting for results of isolation attempts, if the clinical and epidemiologic suspicion of the disease is strong. And mine is," she said coldly.

" OK then, I leave everything in your hands," said David, pleasantly surprised by the proofs of her expertise she was giving and by the firmness of her voice as she answered the, sometimes too arrogant, Nicholas Kokoris. 

" Thank you, I'll let you know when I have the results," she told him.

As the man left, Shari turned to Matt and Nick. " I want everyone who was in touch with the patient to meet me at the hospital's Epidemics area in half an hour and I want the patient transferred to a private, isolated room there. The T. Cruzi isn't aerobic, but some isolation will help," she commanded.

" Are you sure about this? It seems too extreme," said Nick.

And then, she could no longer keep herself from snapping at him. " Look, Dr. Kokoris, you called me and asked for my opinion. I believe this man is infected with Chagas' disease. Now, whether you like it or not, we have to isolate him until we have a safe diagnosis, is that clear?" Nicholas could only nod. " And since this is my field of expertise, from now on you will do as I say." With that, Shari locked herself in the lab, leaving the two doctors with their mouths hanging open (literally).

Matt, who had been silent the entire time, turned to Nicholas.

" The girl's got guts."

His friend couldn't disagree with that.

***

Hope I haven't been too technical with the symptoms and stuff, but since I'm planning on becoming a virologist myself I kinda got carried away. Please let me know what you thought of this chapter.


	5. An accurate diagnosis and a nice chat

AN: First of all, I'm sorry it has taken me son long to update but I've had huge problems with my laptop. Second, I'd like to answer the questions of two reviewers. 

Selena, one of the main acute Chagas symptoms is anorexia, the patient is unwilling to eat and when he/she does, they experience nausea. Anemia is more often linked to chronic Chagas disease.

Nicky, Shari will explain how and why Mr. Robertson got infected in the next chapter, so keep reading! :)))))

And, of course thank you all so much: Selena, Nicky, Deana, Cindy, Kcrane for taking the time to leave your comments. I value them a lot!!!!!

Chapter 5: An accurate diagnosis and a nice chat. 

After setting things in motion in the lab, Shari went up to the Epidemics area, where she found a small group of people waiting for her. She recognized the two nurses who had been at Mr. Robertson's room; they looked extremely frightened, and she wasn't sure if they feared the disease or her. Then there was a young student, who was desperately trying to put up a brave front (and was failing miserably) and, of course, Matt and Nicholas. She led them all into her office.         

" Hi, thank you for coming so soon. So, the six of you have been in touch with Mr. Robertson?" They all nodded and she could sense they were nervous. Yes, even almighty Nicholas looked apprehensive. " Well, as you've probably heard, I have the suspicion he might be suffering from Chagas' disease and since you've treated him, you all must be put on preventive treatment."

" You mean we can be infected?" Asked Matt. 

Shari had never seen her friend look so apprehensive and smiled soothingly at him. " It's extremely unlikely, Dr. Slingerland. But if you've been in contact with the patient's body fluids or skin, there's a chance you could be infected. Luckily, it has never happened before."

" It's said that there's a first time for everything. I hope in this case there isn't," he commented, half jokingly, half serious.

She nodded and turned to a medicine cabinet, from where she took out five square boxes in bright yellow. After handing one to everybody and receiving a few questioning looks, she explained. " OK everybody, these boxes I' giving you contain Benznidazole, one of the drugs of choice for Chagas' disease. It's a yellow powder that you have to dissolve in water and drink three times a day after the meals. This drug is rapidly absorbed and distributed through the body tissues. The recommended administration is for a period of sixty days, but we will reduce your treatment up to only ten days."

" Will it be enough?" Questioned one of the nurses, who, according to the nametag was 'Rose'. 

" As a preventive treatment, yes. There's really nothing to worry about because, even if you were exposed to the parasite, Benznidazole is claimed to be more than eighty percent effective in curing acute and chronic Chagas' patients. Good results can be seen in early treatment, circulating trypanosomes may disappear, and there may be a remission of chagasic symptoms. Now on to the negative side: the diverse side effects of Benznidazole include vomiting, peripheral neuropathy, and skin reactions that may include erythematous light-sensitive skin rashes. If any of these effects are too severe to tolerate, come see me immediately and we'll put you on another drug, OK?" The room slowly nodded their heads. " Anybody's got any questions?"

No one spoke, so Shari decided to end the 'meeting'. " Good, I'll need a follow-up of each one of you, so we'll be probably seeing each other a lot in the next ten days. Let's see... today is Monday, so come see me on Friday. Now let's get back to work." 

Before anyone had the chance of saying everything, she promptly left the room and nearly ran to the laboratory. She was dying to start working on the microscopy and incredibly eager to test her skills on such a challenging disease.

Five hours later, she looked up from the microscope with a smile on her lips. She had been right. Shari didn't even notice the soreness of her neck's muscles or the fact that she had been holding her breath since she had finished the Giemsa stain... all she could think about was treatments and drugs to help Mr. Robertson.

And she also prayed that the disease hadn't spread to other patients or to any of the attendings.

" Kym, make sure no one touches this, I'll be right back," she told one of her coworkers and left the lab with the same swiftness she had arrived.

No soon had the elevator doors opened at Presidio's waiting area, when she ran into David Eidenberg.

" Shari, have you got the results?" He asked with great urgency.

" Yes… it is Chagas' disease."

Her boss looked at her without blinking and her mouth hanging open for a whole minute before letting out an " I have to notify the Board of this."

The woman nodded. " OK, David, you go. I'll take care of the patient."

" Yes, who better than you for this?"

***

Less than an hour later, Shari was at the hospital. She and David had agreed on the treatment for Mr. Robertson and she was on the way to administer him his first IV of diluted Benznidazole, when she found Matt and Nicholas standing at his door.

" Here comes the woman of the hour and by all the stuff you have in your hands I'd say you diagnosis was correct," said the first one with a smile that did little to conceal his anxiousness.

" Yes, Matt, it was. Now I have to start Mr. Robertson's medications."

" How can you know for sure it is Chagas?" Asked Nicholas, testing her.

" Demonstration of the causal agent is the diagnostic procedure in acute Chagas disease. It almost always yields positive results, and can be achieved by microscopic examination. Immunodiagnosis is another method of choice for determining whether the patient is infected, by the ELISA test. I have run both of them and the results indicate acute Chagas."

" I would have never even thought of this disease," he confessed.

Shari smiled lightly at him. " Well, it's seldom heard of. Besides, Chagas' disease often goes undiagnosed because its symptoms are associated with heart disease, volulus, achlasia, and constipation."

" So that's why we were so confused, Shari."

" Mislead is a better word."

Before Matt could reply, his beeper went on. " Well, looks like Letty needs me. See you two later," he said and left, only after giving Shari a quick kiss on her cheek.

Nicholas' eyebrows arched and she had to stifle a laugh at his reaction. " Would you like to see the microscopy?" She offered him.

" Yes," was his simple answer.

" Then follow me."

When they entered the lab, things were exactly like Shari had left them. Kym shot her at look which meant ' Who's the hunk?' which she chose to ignore. She then took her seat in front of the impressive microscope and motioned Nicholas to do the same.

" Look at this…" She moved so he could have access to the lens. " Do you see that little blue thing in the center of the field that looks like a worm?"

" Yes."

" That's the T. cruzi," she informed him.

" What method is this?" Nicholas asked, looking up.

" Microscopy of thin and thick blood smears stained with Giemsa for visualization of the parasites," Shari said simply.

" You did this yourself?"

" Why so surprised, Dr. Kokoris? It's not like I've split the atom or anything!"

" I know, but… " he trailed off. 

She finished his sentence for him. " You didn't think I was capable of doing this." Shrugging at his killer look, she went on, " Thing is, Dr. Kokoris, I bet you must not like it when people doubt your skills. Well, neither do I."

" I'm sorry. That wasn't fair of me," Nicholas apologized, looking down.

Shari sighed, feeling she had been a bit harsh on him. " Hey, that's OK. Even if people don't acknowledge my work, I like what I do."

" Indeed. You seem to be enjoying this chaotic situation," he commented with a half smile.

" Well, I like controlled chaos. Besides, I've never had a patient before… I've always worked in labs. This is rather refreshing."

" This job... you seem very good at it," acknowledged the surgeon.

" Thank you. I simply love it, which is obvious, since why else would I move across the country?"

" Don't you have any friends or family here?"

Shari suddenly wondered when the conversation had got personal, but decided to go on with it. After all, she didn't mind. " Nope, I'm all alone. Besides, I don't have much time left for socializing or anything like that."

" Except for Dr. Slingerland, of course," he casually said.

" Oh, Matt's been wonderful to me. I don't think I would have made it without a friend like him," she replied with a smile that lit up her eyes.

Before Nicholas could ask her if they were more than just friends, a young secretary interrupted them. " Shari, a man named David Eidenberg would like to see you in his office at Presidio."

" When?"

" I think his exact words were: 'right now'."

She smiled, that was to be expected. " OK, thanks Dana." When the woman left, she turned to Nicholas. " Sorry, Dr. Kokoris, but the boss needs me."

" Please, I would not like to delay you. I think I've taken enough of your time."

" You're welcome here anytime," she said and shot him a smile before leaving the laboratory.

He watched her walk away, admiring her body as she cut through the hall's lights. He remained sitting in the lab for a few minutes longer, hands clenching and unclenching at his sides, before standing up. His mind busy with thoughts of Shari.

He had heard of Presidio Medical Group wanting to hire an expert on epidemics to complete their staff and work in cooperation with the hospital; but he had never expected their expert to be that cocky, maddening, beautiful girl.

' No, not girl, woman. Quite a woman,' his mind corrected.

*** 

Please review!!!!!!!! I'm addicted to reviews!


	6. Showing her skills

AN: A million times sorry for the delay. It's just that my laptop keeps having huge problems and I don't know where else to take it so it can be fixed. Anyway, here's a new chappie and I promise the next one will be uploaded in a week. Thanks for the patience!

Chapter 6: Showing her skills. 

When Shari arrived, David was pacing around his office, his brows furrowed and his lips visible only as a thin white line.

" Shari, thank you for coming so soon," he said, turning to her figure before she even had time to enter.

His attitude worried her and she hurried to ask, " Is there anything wrong, David?"

" No… yes… well, it depends…" he fumbled, not looking at her in the eye.

" Oh, I love straight and clear answers," she joked.

The man smiled and seemed to have un-stressed a bit. " Due to this rather unexpected situation we are dealing with, the Board has called for an extraordinary meeting with the doctors of Presidio and… with you," he announced with a sigh.

Shari's brows shot up. " Me?"

" Yes, look, I hate to put you in this situation, but you will be expected to explain everything about your diagnosis and the disease," David said, making Shari smile broadly.

" Is that why you were so worried?" She asked sweetly.

" I don't like the idea of burdening you with the interrogatory you'll be most likely put through," he explained.

" Please, don't worry about that, I can handle it," the woman assured him.

Her boss looked at her with a mixture of wonder and appreciation, which deepened when, three hours later, she entered the conference room with great confidence. It was packed; every single doctor and director was there. Yet, she serenely took her place behind the desk and stood tall and proud in front of the physicians

" We now know for a fact that we have a Chagas Mazza case in our hands," she started as the room fell immediately silent. " We have taken all the necessary precautions: the patient is medicated, as well as the physicians who have been in touch with him. I'm treating Mr. Robertson in an isolated room at the hospital, with the aid of Drs. Kokoris and Slingerland."

A hand rose in the air and she nodded at the man who spoke in an imperious tone. " Since none of us is familiar with this infection, perhaps you could explain some more… " 

" Of course, Dr. Anderson," she replied evenly. Shari knew the time of her test had arrived, so she took a deep breath, cleared her mind and started talking, not letting her voice betray her nervousness. " Chagas' disease affects an estimated 18 to 20 million people in Central, South America, and the United States. Its symptoms are varied, diffuse, and may be caused by other diseases besides Chagas. Acute Chagas is lethal, especially for children, and chronic Chagas debilitates patients for years Chief symptoms of Chagas' disease include constipation, malaise or a feeling of always being tired, the inability to swallow, fever, and varying degrees of discomfort and/or abdominal pain. They are also related to heart conditions and are usually masked by them. These symptoms are caused by a microscopic pathogen called Trypanosoma cruzi, or T. cruzi, a protozoan parasite. T. cruzi is transmitted to humans by Triatomine insects, called vinchucas and barbeiros, that are commonly found in poor areas with unsanitary housing conditions. 

The original landscape of human Chagas disease in all Latin America is composed of rural areas with huts covered by grass or palm leaves and constructed with mud, stones or wood cracked walls. That's where the vinchucas live during the day. At night, they come out of their habitats and bite the patients, feeding from their blood. As they do this, they leave a trail of feces around the small wound, releasing the parasite into the bloodstream. It inhabits its victims' cells, and colonizes the heart, colon, and esophagus, turning into a lethal disease if not treated in time."

" Then the patient was bitten by one of these insects?" Intervened one of the senior members of the board.

" Indeed. He told me he went for a trip to the Northern border of Argentina and slept in a hut made of mud, a most likely ideal habitat for vinchucas."

For the space of two hours, the young woman answered questions, explained every single detail and presented evidence on her diagnosis. When the meeting was over, she simply ignored her tiredness and hurried to check on Mr. Robertson. A while later, Matt and Nicholas joined her.

" You were terrific, Shari," said the first, grinning and patting her back.

She let out a sigh. " It's good to hear that, Matt. I was so nervous!"

" It didn't show at all," commented Nicholas and Shari was left speechless for a second. That sounded like a compliment.

" Well thank you, Dr. Kokoris," she said and smiled. " Please, don't forget to come see me in five days," the woman reminded them.

The two doctors promised they would and, once she was done there, she returned to her office.

Before Shari even had the time to realize she was now a real professional, six days had passed. Mr. Robertson's health had improved, she had examined all the attendings and none of them presented any symptoms... well, she had examined _almost_ all of them.

' Dr. Kokoris didn't turn up for the examination. Why doesn't that surprise me?' She thought bitterly.

As if her thinking of him had been enough to make him materialize out of thin air, Shari found the man sitting in front of her office.

" Dr. Kokoris?" She asked as she approached him.

" Oh, Miss Hayes..." He said, quickly getting up.

" It was about time you came to see me. You're the only one who hasn't," she mildly scolded him.

" I am sorry, I've been busy. But this morning I woke up feeling dizzy and somewhat weak..." he commented, not looking at her in the eye.

Shari was immediately alert. " Any nausea, fever or abdominal pain?"

" No."

" Then come with me, please, I'll take the blood sample now."

He complied and followed her to the biochemistry lab. As she sat in front of him and proficiently started to sink the needle on his flesh, Shari noticed he was a lot more withdrawn than usual.

' He's scared,' she concluded triumphantly. It felt good knowing almighty Nicholas was frightened by a disease.

" During one of my first lab tests, I prickled myself with a hanta-infected needle, you know?" She casually commented. He looked up at her and she took it as a cue to go on. " I totally freaked out."

" What happened?" He softly asked.

" Nothing really, I washed my finger with abundant water, soap and an iodine solution and took the preventive medication. I never developed any symptoms."

" You were lucky."

" I know," she said and released his arm. The small vial with his blood shining an intense shade of red in her other hand. " I'll go check on Mr. Robertson. Come see me in the afternoon, I'll have your lab results ready."

" I'll be there."

She started walking away, but suddenly stopped and turned to look at him. " Oh, and Dr. Kokoris?" She called out. " It is OK to be worried." Without waiting for an answer, Shari shot him a brief smile and finally entered the elevator.

Nicholas simply watched her retreating figure, simply marveled. The woman had sensed his apprehension and, instead of ridiculing him like he deserved after the way in which he had treated her, she had simply tried to make him feel better. Shari was one in a million, he could see that much.

What marveled him even more was how anxious he was for the afternoon to arrive. Thinking back, he couldn't recall when was the last time he had been that expectant about anything. Time went on despairingly slow, until, at 2 PM, he couldn't wait any longer and went to her office.

He found her working on her laptop, but she immediately put it away the minute she saw him.

" Hello, Dr. Kokoris, I have good news for you," she greeted him with a smile.

" You do?"

" Yes, there doesn't seem to be any viral charge in your blood, so I'll only run one more test on you," she informed him.

Nicholas frowned. " What is it?"

" Give me your hands," she commanded, but he simply stared blankly at her. " Since you touched the patient without gloves, I have to check for any signs of swelling that can be associated to the penetration of vinchucas' feces on your skin," she explained.

" OK..." Nick was reluctant. He didn't want her to touch him for he feared his very own reaction. For the first time, he actually acknowledged he was attracted to her and...

He lost his trail of thought and drew a sharp intake of breath. When she took his hands in hers, a million sensations seemed to explode inside of him. He closed his eyes and had to struggle to keep his breathing even as she softly rubbed his fingers. To keep in control, Nicholas had to remind himself over and over that it was just an examination. Had it not been for that, only God knows what he would have done.

But when she started tracing intricate designs on his palms with her delicate fingers, Nick had to admit it had been a long time since a woman's innocent touch awoke such fierce passion from him. But why Shari? He didn't even like her.

' Or maybe I just like her too much,' he thought, bewildered at that admission.

And anyhow, her skin against his felt nice. He held his breath, hypnotized by the tiny lines of fire her touch was sending through his body. Shaking his head, he managed to come out of the dazed state her contact had induced him. When he did, Nicholas found Shari had let go of his hands and was staring at him.

Their eyes met and they locked gazes. A million of unspoken emotions were shared. For a charged instant that seemed like a century, they bared their souls to each other.

Shari looked away and cleared her throat. " There are no bumps or marks, that's a good sign. Those symptoms you described this morning must be related to stress; still, I'd ask Matt to check on me, if I were you."

" I will... thank you," he said, noticing his voice had gone husky.

" Come see me in five days and if everything's alright I'll suspend your medication, OK?"

" Yes, thanks again."

Nicholas realized he wasn't only thanking her for her concern. Oh no. He was also grateful for having made him feel, really feel.

" It's my job, Dr. Kokoris," she replied simply.

He smiled briefly and, when he had his hand on the doorknob, Shari remembered something. " Oh, and could you please remind the others to do the same? Specially Matt, know he knows he's alright he probably won't want to be examined again, but I really need to."

OK, what was that unexplainable wave of jealousy that washed over him? Nick didn't know, but he sure didn't like the idea of Shari touching Matt the way she had touched him.

Shari saw his back stiffen before he turned back to her. 

" Are you and him dating?" He asked.

She was utterly, entirely and positively bewildered. Where the hell did that question come from? " No, we aren't," she replied flatly. " But how is that any of your business?"

" I am sorry, I know it was out of line, but I was just... curious. You two seem very close."

" We are. But we can be _extremely_ close without sleeping together, Dr. Kokoris."

Nicholas acknowledged her words with a curt nod and left her lab. Situations like that were the ones that made her wonder why were men so complicated.


	7. The kiss

Chapter 7: The kiss. 

Fifteen days later, Shari was signing Mr. Robertson's release order. The man had presented a clear remission of chagasic symptoms as well as of the viral charge in his blood. With a smile, the woman sent him home, only after loading him with boxes of Benznidazole and advice on what to do in case he felt ill again.

Once she was done there, she went back to the Usher Medical Tower, where she was now treated as an equal by the doctors from Presidio Med. Yes, even Nicholas Kokoris seemed to have finally accepted her and as Robertson's health improved, so did their relationship. Of course, the surgeon hadn't become her best friend, but at least they were on good terms.

" Good morning, beautiful," greeted Matt from behind her as soon as she had entered Presidio's offices.

" Hey, Matt, I've just released Mr. Robertson. He told me to thank you for all you did for him."

" You were the one who saved him, Shari," the man pointed out.

The young woman shrugged. " Maybe, but he's already thanked me, so... are you free for lunch?" She asked, feeling her stomach protest at the lack of something solid for her gastric juices to work on.

" No, he isn't," intervened Letty Jordan. " Good morning Shari and I'm sorry to take him away, but I got a patient I need him to admit."

" Oh, bugger," muttered Matt, but the two women chose to ignore that.

Shari smiled. " Good morning Letty, and don't worry, when duty calls... see you later," she said and, just before she crossed the door, Matt called out for her.

" Wait, love! What about some lunch with Nicholas? He's at the locker room."

The wicked spark in her friend's eyes told her he was challenging her. And she was never the kind of woman who wasn't up for a challenge.

" Sure," she replied laughingly. " I'll go get him, meet us at the cafeteria when you're done."

Slingerland's jaw dropped when he saw her head towards the men's locker room, but Shari didn't hesitate and, after knocking, opened the door wide open and entered. Nicholas was there, tossing some things inside his locker. She cleared her throat and he turned, surprise written all over his face at the sight of her in there.

" Dr. Kokoris, hi," she whispered, feeling suddenly shy.

The Greek physician blinked twice before answering with a very awed-sounding, " Miss Hayes… "

She smiled resolutely. Somehow, seeing him nervous made her feel at ease. " I finally had some time off and decided to go for a snack, wanna come?" She offered.

Nick proceeded to stare at her for a while longer, before turning his back on her. " Thank you, but I'd rather be alone," he replied.

" No-one could actually enjoy having lunch on his own. C'mon, I'm buying," insisted Shari good-naturedly.

After turning and piercing her with a cold look and scowl, he hissed, " I said I wanted you to leave me alone. What part of 'alone' you don't get?" 

Shari was taken aback by his answer. If he had punched her right on the stomach, he wouldn't have made her feel half as bad as she was feeling at that moment. But as she swallowed her tears, she let her anger take over her entire body.

" I thought that after Mr. Robertson's case you had come to develop some degree of acceptance towards me. Obviously, I was wrong!" She exclaimed heatedly.

The man had the decency to look ashamed." It's not that..."

But she didn't let him finish. " Then what is it? I can't believe I've been here for a year and you still don't like me because I'm young, live in an expensive neighborhood and wear designer clothes! I work my ass off everyday and practically have no life just to show people like you that I'm not a daddy's girl who got here just because he knew the right people!" 

" Shari..." 

Enraged as she was, she missed the fact that he had called her by her first name.

" I've tried to like you, I really have, even when you acted like a complete bastard. I ignored the rumors about you because I preferred to get to know you before; but, for the life of me, I don't even know why I made the effort!" His lips on hers ended her indignated diatribe.

She tried to protest, but the desire his full lips against her tender flesh were arousing in her was too strong to be denied. Drawing him closer with her arms encircling his neck, Shari surrendered to his kiss.

That gesture inflamed Nicholas' passion and, driven only by his need of her, he deepened his kiss almost immediately, ravishing her mouth, exploring it with an intensity that knew no limits as she started kissing him back. His tongue slid into her mouth, dancing with her own, his arms wrapping around her sensuous figure. 

Nicholas leaned on her, until her back met the lockers. Taking advantage of that, he pressed his body to hers until a moan escaped her throat. Satisfied, which is not exactly a very accurate way to put it, since he knew that after that he could never get enough of Shari, he let go of her lips and opened his eyes.

Their gazes met and locked. Shari's eyes were full of questions, questions she didn't quite know how to express. His revealed an intensity that caught her by surprise, even more than his kiss did. Before he could gather enough air as to say a word, she whirled around and left the room. That left Nick totally puzzled.

Slamming his locker door shut, he ran after her.


	8. Beginning

Chapter 8: Beginning. 

Shari hadn't managed to run very far away from the locker room, when she happened to come face to face with Matt.

The man observed her through narrowed eyes, taking it all in: her flushed face, her lack of breath, the disarray in her usually perfectly neat hairdo and the confusion that lied behind her eyes.

" Shari, love, what is it?" He asked with great concern, as he placed both his hands firmly on her shoulders.

She tried to look away and shrug his hands off. " No, no, nothing, Matt... really," she muttered.

" Listen, I know you..." 

" Shari, wait!" Interrupted a voice coming from around the corner.

Its owner, a running and equally disturbed-looking Nicholas Kokoris made Matt trail off and gaze at them with his brows arched. He was no fool and sensed that something had, if not happened, at least transpired between his two friends. Shari was obviously avoiding Nicholas' eyes, while he seemed to have the urgent need to speak to her. So, what was he to do? 

With a wicked smile he eyed the pair up and down before muttering a " Look like the two of you have some issues to discuss." which made Shari flustered in embarrassment, and hurried inside the elevator.

Once Matt was out of sight, she tried to walk away from Nicholas, but he wasn't going to let that happen.

" Shari, we need to talk," he stated, grabbing her by the arm.

The woman looked up at him with fire in her eyes. " About what?

" You know very well what I'm talking about," he growled. " Come with me."

With that, he nearly dragged her to his office, carefully closing the door once they were inside.

Shari had never been there and immediately liked the way in which he had decorated his office. It was very manly, yet cozy and she found herself thinking it would be a nice place to...

' Damnit Shari! Stick to your principles!' Screamed her conscience and she shook her head, trying to dispel the images of her and the Greek surgeon on the large leather couch. Because she liked Nicholas, that was for sure.

She had been so absorbed in her thoughts that she barely noticed Nicholas was standing very close to her.

" I've been wanting to kiss you since David introduced us," he whispered.

At that, curiosity got the best of her. " Then why...?"

" I didn't want to admit I liked you more than I can put into words, Shari," he admitted earnestly.

This time, she didn't miss it. God, her name on his lips sounded almost celestial. 

Nicholas decided it was his time to ask questions. " Why did you leave me?"

Shari shrugged and looked away. " I was… confused, I guess. You were so rude and then..."

" You're simply incredible, Shari," he cut her in. " And, at first, I was jealous of you. But now I simply don't seem to be able to get you out of my thoughts."

His answer and the intense look he finished his statement with agitated the butterflies in her stomach, but she knew that having an affair with him wouldn't work.

Why was she assuming he only wanted an affair with her, will forever remain as a mystery.

" I'm sorry, but I want nothing with you," she replied in her most courteous tone.

That angered Nick and he snapped, " Do you 'want something' with Matt?"

Shari looked simply outraged. " What the f...? Listen, Dr. Kokoris, Matt is my friend, get that? I don't sleep with him, nor I think I'll ever do such thing," she spat at him and turned, ready to leave the room.

Nicholas hurried to apologize. " I am sorry, I didn't mean to offend you. But your answer was very... unelaborated."

Muttering something under her breath, she turned back to look at him. " OK. The reason I don't want to get involved with you is that I don't wanna get involved with anyone I work with, because..." she started, but Nick didn't let her finish.

" So, you are attracted to me but don't want to give me a chance because we both work at Presidio?" He asked, evaluating the myriad of expressions that emanated from her eyes.

" Exactly," she replied sternly, turned and walked away, not realizing her own admission and missing Nicholas' smile.

Now that he knew she felt something for him, he wasn't going to let her escape so easily. Not when she had managed to set him on fire with only an innocent touch and had caused some feelings to resurface in him that he had thought were long buried.

***

A week later, Shari was just finishing putting the last of the erlenmeyers back in their place, after the routine once-a-year recount of every working laboratory equipment and tool. The cabinet where she was supposed to place them was very tall and she was standing on tiptoe, having trouble putting away the largest flasks. Out of nowhere, an imposing male figure came up behind her, taking the erlenmeyer out of her up-reached hand and placing it on the shelf. 

As she put her feet flat on the floor again the full length of her body came into contact with his and he put his hands on her shoulders to steady her. Her pulse quickened as she felt a flashing jolt in the pit of her stomach. She knew it was Nick and she could feel his breathing accelerating as he wrapped his arms around her shoulders, pulling her closer. He began nuzzling her hair, sending chills down her spine, and making her tremble. Not being able to help herself, Shari turned her head to look up at him. 

Nick brushed his lips against hers lightly, looking into her eyes. A low growl came from him as he covered her lips with his own. Opening her mouth she let him explore her, moaning against him, wanting more, even though she had tried many times to ignore the way he made her feel. When she tried to break free from him, Nicholas pulled his lips away reluctantly, his breath coming quickly next to her ear.

" Shari..." he said in a pained whisper.

" I... I have to go now, Dr. Kokoris," she said huskily.

Shari still felt herself vibrating as his hold on her loosened, but didn't let go.

" Don't," he hurried to say. " We both want this, so why do you keep running away from me?"

" I've told you why," she whispered tiredly.

" That's not good enough, Shari."

" Then what do you want?"

" A chance, that's all," replied Nicholas simply. " Let me take you out for dinner, get to know me... maybe then you will see me as something more than a co-worker."

Shari sighed. How could she resist those pleading eyes? She didn't even want to do that, so, going against all her judgment, she caved in.

" Well, dinner doesn't sound so bad..." she said, smilingly, trying to hide her shaky hands. It was finally happening: she was going out with him.

" Then I will pick you up tomorrow at 7PM," was all he replied before turning to walk away. He needed to leave right then or he wouldn't be able to hide his eagerness for much longer.

But Shari stopped him. " Wait, don't you need my address?"

Smiling predatorily, Nicholas turned to her. " I need many things from you, precious. Your address, I already know it," he said, his voice dropping to a low, sensuous growl.

Her eyes widened at that and she blushed furiously. Amused, he tugged on her hair to pull her closer. His kiss to her was deep, possessive, silently demanding that she acknowledge his claim on her. She responded with fervor, exacting the same avowal from him. When they broke away, they were both breathless.

" Then I'll see you tomorrow," Shari said, walking away and shooting him a smile full of promises.


	9. Falling

AN: Oh, God, it's been years since my last update! I'm very very sorry, but life (aka College) got really complicated this past month and I didn't even have time to breath, let alone write. But now Nick and Shari are back and ready for their first date. Chapter 9: Falling. 

The following evening found Shari in front of the mirror, half dressed, and less than half sure of himself. She nervously shifted her silver hairbrush from hand to hand, occasionally resting in moments of pure doubt. Her burgundy silk top lay across the back of a chair, beckoning her, yet at the same time, taunting her.

With a deep sigh, she put it on and went back to observing her image; mechanically, she adjusted her earrings in the mirror for the hundredth time, touching her earlobes in turn to make sure that the tip of each teardrop-shaped diamond pointed symmetrically downward. It was silly, she knew -- he was not likely to notice such a trivial detail. 

Shari was perfectly aware of the fact that she was acting ridiculous, like a teenage girl with a crush. She was a grown woman, for heaven's sake! Why was she so horribly nervous, then?

' That's because you're going out with _him_,' the little part left of her rational side replied.

At that point, and being 7PM sharp, the doorbell rang. The woman took a deep breath and counted to ten before opening the door.

If she had thought Nicholas was handsome at the hospital, where he wore those neat suits or even the horrible scrubs that somehow looked good on him, then she had no words to describe him right then. He was wearing a lightweight black sweater with a v neckline, black pinstripe slacks and loafers. She had never seen him look so casual, but she decided she liked it. A lot, actually.

" Good evening, Shari," he greeted her in that rich voice that always managed to turn her knees into jelly. " You look exquisite."

" Hello Nicholas, and thank you," she replied, feeling a growing warmth creeping up her cheeks. Still, she instantly recomposed her face before Nick could see the slightest reddening there.

But he was simply staring at her, absolutely captivated by her good looks. ' It was like I had been looking at her forever, but I had never seen her before,' he thought. 

She was dressed as impeccably as usual, but Nick was felt she had taken particular care to look her best that night. He noticed the form-fitting outfit she was wearing, clinging to her feminine shapes, making the most of her hourglass figure. The burgundy boatneck top revealed part of her perfectly sculpted shoulders and ended in two wide, flowing sleeves. The black gaza skirt that reached a couple of inches above her knees exposed a considerable extent of her long lean legs, partly covered by black leather boots; they hugged her calves in such an intimate way that Nicholas almost envied them.

Her silky mahogany hair was loose and flawlessly done, softly caressing her back and framing her face, which's glowing fair skin matched perfectly the raspberry color of her lips.

Noticing she was looking at him as if expecting an action from him, he forced himself to speak. " Are you ready?"

" Yes."

" Then come with me," he said, and offered her an arm in the very manner of an Englishman.

Shari paused for an instant, a smile rising briefly to light her hazel eyes, before grabbing her purse and leaving the apartment with her escort for the night.

***

" Where are we going?" She asked once they were inside the impressive midnight blue Mercedes.

" That I will not tell you, but I believe it is a place you'll enjoy," Nicholas replied enigmatically, causing her eyebrows to shoot up.

" We're being mysterious, aren't we?" She mocked, but he could tell she was very much intrigued.

" There is a great deal of allure in the unknown," he stated.

Shari let out a short laugh. " Can't argue with that."

" Then trust me and you won't be disappointed."

After that, they fell into a comfortable silence as Nicholas drove through the city. At San Francisco Bay area, he stopped in front of a lovely small restaurant and helped her out of the car. As they entered, Shari simply fell in love with the place. The large dining room was dimly lit with the light of hundreds of tiny candles placed all over it. All tables were covered with thick, rich tablecloths in blue brocade with golden trimmings and had delicate flower vases in the center. The sweet scent of freesias filled the room.

The maitre, whom as Shari noticed appeared to be friends with Nicholas, led them to a small table that seemed to have been placed a bit apart from the others. It was right by the immense glass window and, as they both sat, she was mesmerized by the beauty of the scenery that lay in front of her eyes. The vast expanse of the ocean had a silverish hue provided by the half-moon rays that caressed its surface. At the distance, she could make out the island of Alcatraz and, a bit more to the West, was the Golden Gate, lit to all its glory.

The woman smiled; had it not been for the company she had, she could have spent the entire evening gazing through the window.

Nicholas felt a rush of warmth somewhere inside his chest at her peaceful expression as she looked at the scenery. " Do you like the place I chose?" He asked, absolutely certain of her answer.

" I like everything," she replied openly. " I don't go out much at night, I'm usually too tired to. But when I do, San Francisco's beauty awes me."

" Some say it's the loveliest city in America. But for me, this country offers such a variety of cities that it's impossible to place one above the others. "

" I don't think I could choose either. From New York to LA, they are all unique."

As she said that, her eyes wandered and rested on a nearby family of two adults and a six year old girl playing with her doll. The doll was getting all the treatment of a paying customer. It had its own high chair, plate, even a glass. The waiters that waited on the table made sure that the doll received the correct napkins and silverware as well. 

" Oh, those times," commented Nicholas, who had also been observing the scene.

" Yes... fun was simpler back then," she replied, not sadly, but with a sweet smile. " And everything was OK as long as mom and dad were with you."

The man saw a glimmer of longing in her expressive eyes. " Do you miss your family?" He gently asked.

" God, yes. We are so close that, at first, I didn't think I'd be able to manage without them," she confessed, then shrugged. " But now I kinda enjoy the independence."

" Then you have no plans to return with them."

" No, I have a life here now." Somehow, that short statement made him feel at ease. He didn't like the idea of her moving back to Boston anytime soon. " What about _your_ family?" She asked with frank curiosity.

" Well, father passed away a few years ago, but my mother and two sisters live in Athens. They call me every night, saying they miss their Nico back there," he said, with a reminiscent smile.

Shari could sense he really loved his relatives. That made her ask, " What caused you to move here?"

" I felt that the opportunity San Francisco University offered me was simply too good to miss," he replied, feeling a pang of guilty at lying to her.

At that, they had to pause to order their dinner, but then they continued to discuss their families, their upbringings and their tastes in everything, from food to literature. Conversation flowed easily between them; and when she laughed, it was a laughter unlike anything he had heard before, filled with excitement and magnetism. Nicholas could feel himself more and more drawn towards Shari as the evening progressed.

As for her, the woman simply couldn't believe she had once thought Nicholas Kokoris to be an insufferable stuck-up git. That man sitting in front of her was both charming and appealing, and she was sure she liked him. Quite a lot, to tell the truth.

Once they were done with dinner and the restaurant was starting to be vacated, they decided to call it a night. Despite her protests, Nicholas took care of the bill and then walked her to the car, pausing for a few minutes to gaze at the moon together.

They didn't talk much during the car ride and, once they were back at Shari's, Nicholas got out of the car and walked her to the building's entrance. None of them wanted the night to end, but they both had to work the following day and theirs was a job that required being alert.

When Shari attempted to open the door, Nicholas swiftly took her by the shoulders and turned her to face him, their lips only an inch apart. She made a small moan in the back of her throat, taking a step closer and lifting her hands up to grip his steely biceps, delighting in the feel of the hard muscles underneath the layers of cloth that separated her from his warm flesh. Slightly breathless from anticipation, she waited, wanting to feel that light touch upon her lips, feeling as if her entire being was focused on that one purpose.

The air was charged with electricity between them as he brought his head down and claimed his prize, taking her lips in his, devouring them completely. He wasted no time as his tongue slipped between her eagerly parted lips, drinking in the sweetness of her mouth. He let go of her hands and moved them under her shoulder blades, then rested them in the perfect hollow of her waist. 

After a long, drugging kiss, he lifted his head and looked into her eyes. His voice was ragged as he spoke. " Am I still nothing but a co-worker or did this turn me into a man?"

" A man, I'd say. The kind of man I no longer care if he is my co-worker." 

He smiled, pleased by her answer. " Then I hope we can do this again."

" I hope so too," was her soft reply.

With that, she turned to enter the building, but Nick grasped her by the shoulders again. This time, he caught her even more off guard and pulled her in his arms, kissing her long and hard. This time, it was him who broke the kiss.

" Good night, Shari, sweet dreams." 

All she could do was stare at his back as he left, not once looking back.

***

Eight days after that kiss, Shari was refreshing her memory on liver and tumoral cells fusion for a special essay she had to run. Unfortunately, her mind kept returning to Nick, making the process of assimilating the twelve steps for producing an 'immortal' line of immune cells a long, tortuous one.

He had called her the morning following their first date, and every other one after that. Due to their busy schedules, they hadn't been able to go on a second date, but the electricity was there whenever they passed each other in the halls. He even stopped by her lab a couple of times and stole a couple of kisses from her. That day would be no exception.

He didn't make a sound, nor did he give any other warning of his presence. All the same, the small hairs prickled on the back of her neck, and Shari knew. She could feel his presence as clearly as if he'd touched her. He was behind her.

Slowly, Shari turned stood up and turned around until she came face to face with him, gripping the heavy volume of Cellular Biology with both hands and hugging it close to her chest. She smiled as, without a word, he pressed his lips to hers and she sagged against his body. As he wrapped his arms around her, she felt her heart ache inside of her. God, she didn't want to leave his arms. She had never experienced anything like what she was feeling right then. He kissed her deeply, slowly, and passionately nearly stealing her breath before releasing his hold in her. 

Shari felt as if her knees were going to give but found the strength to stand. She looked in his eyes and couldn't describe what she saw, but she had never expected that.

" Good morning," he whispered, running his hands through her lustrous hair, undoing her neat ponytail.

" Nicholas," Shari found herself complaining, despite how good it felt. " You're crazy! We can't act like this in the hospital."

The man thoroughly ignored her protest. " Join me for lunch," he commanded. And Shari obeyed.

Who could ever resist Nicholas Kokoris' charms?

***

Please please please review!!!!!!!!!!!


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